McGurk's killer wanted $200k for more hits: Gattellari

As the net closed in on those involved in the murder of Michael McGurk, a further $200,000 was sought from the alleged mastermind Ron Medich to kill two people "who knew too much".

The Crown's star witness Lucky Gattellari said that in 2010 Haissam Safetli, the man who killed Mr McGurk in September 2009, approached Gattellari saying that if Mr Medich would advance a further $200,000 he would kill Christopher Estephan.

Mr Estephan, 23, was with Safetli on the night Mr McGurk was murdered.

Safetli has since pleaded guilty to the murder but has told police that his then teenage accomplice, Mr Estephan, pulled the trigger.

The other person Safetli wanted to kill was his former girlfriend Krystal Weir. This was because the pair "knew too much" and Safetli was worried they might go to the police, Gattellari said.

The former boxer was giving evidence at Mr Estephan and Mr Medich's committal hearing at Sydney's Central Local Court.

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Mr Medich's barrister Winston Terracini, SC, suggested that it was Gattellari, not his client, who wanted Mr McGurk gone. He also suggested that Gattellari had threatened Mr Medich's wife Odetta because he was afraid she would expose Gattellari's fraudulent business dealings.

Gattellari, who is serving a prison sentence for his role in the murder, exchanged a series of threatening text messages with Mrs Medich, who is now divorced from her husband. But he claimed it was at Mr Medich's instigation.

In January 2010, four months after Mr McGurk's murder, Gattellari sent the following text message to Mrs Medich: "Thank you for your kind words i do think that living in the glass house you live in maybe you should watch the stones you through (sic) I have some snap shots of overseas trips so how low do you want to drag this personally I don't give a f--- about you but I have the gratest (sic) regard for ron and ay present he knows nothing os if its a shit fight you wont (sic) you will finde (sic) out just how discusting (sic) i can get."

Mrs Medich responded with: "U r a moron!!!!! ANd a dumb one too...get the fuck out of our lives!!!!!!!!!! I will make sure of it the moment I am back, u r a sick fuck!!!!!!!!"